Russia's return to PACE will make EU responsible for human rights violations

The Russian delegation cannot be returned to the PACE if Moscow does not fulfill the resolutions of the organization, but if this happens, European politicians will have to assume some of the responsibility for human rights violations in the occupied territories of Ukraine, a member of the Ukrainian delegation to PACE, Verkhovna Rada First Deputy Chairwoman Iryna Gerashchenko has said.

"Today, efforts have been intensified to return the Russian delegation even if it does not fulfil any conditions, that is the resolutions of the Council of Europe, which demands that the Russian Federation respect international humanitarian law, human rights, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, return the annexed, stolen Crimea and get away from Donbas," she said on the 112 Ukraine television channel from Strasbourg on Tuesday.

Gerashchenko noted that such attempts are being made through the creation of an "ad hoc committee," within will discuss Russia's return allegedly for a high purpose, so that all 47 member countries of the Council of Europe could prepare for the jubilee summit to be held in 2019.

She said it was unacceptable to turn a blind eye to human rights violations and violence in connection with Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Gerashchenko said that the Ukrainian delegation had been shocked by the speech of Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland.

She added that the mission of the Ukrainian delegation at the PACE winter session was to inform the world about the difficult human rights situation in the territories of Ukraine occupied by Russia.

"We will stand on the position that the compromising position, dialogue is fine, but then all European politicians should also assume some of the responsibility for connivance in human rights violations," she said.